Cinnamon Sticks
by charah.tastic
Summary: Marauder Era. Remus has a hard time finding a date for the Graduation Ball. That is, until that cinnamon-stick brandishing girl comes along...


A/N: So, I know that Tonks is like 10 years younger than Moony, but for the sake of this fic, ignore that. She's in Moony's year. This takes place the night before the Graduation Ball.  
Disclaimer: Yeah, rub it in my face.

* * *

Remus stuffed his hands in his pockets and hurried down the corridor. Left and right, girls were eyeing him hopefully, twirling their hair, popping Drooble's Best Chewing Gum, and giggly very loudly. How _Peter_ had actually managed to score a date before the looming graduation ball was beyond him, and how Sirius had settled for just one girl was just as astounding. But the biggest shocker of all was that Lily had actually said yes to James!

A few girls made to approach Remus, so he he quickened his pace and was almost sprinting when he got to the library. He went to his favourite table at the back, put his head in his hands, and evened out his heart rate. He was extremely stressed; imagine how he, one of the famous four Marauders, would look if he were at the ball alone. He heard someone pull out a chair opposite him, and caught a waft of the familiar cinnamon-y smell.

'Wotcher, Remus. What's got your knickers in a twist?'

Remus looked up, and couldn't help but smile at the friendly pink haired girl grinning at him.

'Hey Tonks. Just anxious,' he replied, pulling his head out of his hands.

She looked around, making sure the vicinity was empty before sighing, and pulling up her chair close. 'Good, I didn't want to bring your mood down.'

'You mean lower than it already is?' snapped Remus.

'In essence. Look, Remus, I've been meaning to talk to you for a long time. Promise you won't get mad.'

'I promise.'

She considered him for a moment. 'I'm...I'm worry about you,' she said shyly.

'Why are you worried about me? I can get a date to the ball, Tonks, if that's what's bugging you!' he said, attempting a smile.

'No, no, not that. The other day, when I was signing up for that Auror training course, something hit me,' she explained. Her head snapped up, and she moved her chair so close to him that their knees were touching. 'What are you going to do?'

Remus looked confused. 'About what?'

'When you leave school, what are you going to do?' she insisted.

'Get a job...?' he replied, still confused. Or, at least, pretending to be.

'Remus, please stop insulting my intelligence. I _know_ you're a... a...,' she stuttered, unable to continue. She took a deep breath. 'A lycanthrope.'

Remus looked stunned. He put his head between his hands again, and breathed so deeply that he could smell the cinnamon sticks in her pocket. He continued this for so long that Tonks feared he had fallen asleep. She waited patiently, and when he finally pulled his head up, she was embarrassed to find that his eyes were watery.

'You're not... disgusted by me?'

Tonks gave a light laughed, and patted his arm. 'Remus, if you had fungus all over your face, you wouldn't disgust me. I know you're not a bad person, and you didn't ask for this.'

'I'm touched Tonks,' he smiled. 'And to answer your question: I don't know. The Ministry won't hire me, and there are only so many parents who want their children taught by a monster. Sometimes I consider going out into the Muggle world.'

'Have you spoken to Dumbledore or McGonagall? They're powerful people; I'm sure they'll be able to help,' suggested Tonks, taking the cinnamon stick out of her pocket and nibbling on it.

Remus eyed the stick. 'Why do you eat those?'

'Chocolate holds no value for me. Nor do sugar quills. It's wood I like,' she said, non-noncommittally. 'Stop avoiding the question. What are Peter and James doing? I know Sirius is going to become an Auror.'

'James... well, I'm not really sure. He wants to play professional Quidditch, but I think he's going to take it easy for the first few years. Peter... he'll probably wind up with some comfortable Ministry job. I envy them sometimes.' He smiled at Tonks. 'Don't worry about me, Tonks. I'll figure out something. I'm a Marauder. It's what I do.'

Tonks grinned. 'I hope you do.' She got up, and stretched. 'Well, I best be off. We drink cocoa every Thursday as a Hufflepuff tradition. 'Night.'

Remus watched her leave, when something came over him. He quickly ran to where she was skipping down the hall. 'Tonks, wait!'

She twirled, and lost her balance. Fortunately, Remus caught her. 'Thank goodness you're here to catch me. What's up?'

'Er.. Well... Tonks, I was...erm...,' stuttered Remus, letting go of her. He shook himself, smiled, looked her straight in the eyes, and said, 'Tonks, will you go to the graduation ball with me?'

'Caught on, have you? Course I will!' she grinned.

* * *

Sirius Black had taken it upon himself to be the commentator of the ball.

'WOOOOOOOO! Who is _this_ red headed bombshell on your arm, Prongsie? Could it possibly the object of your obsession for seven years? Looking smashing, Lilyflower!' hooted Sirius, sizing up a blushing Lily, who was dressed in a long green gown of James's choice.'Well _done, _Wormy! Short, curvy, pretty, easily fooled into going out with you... Give me a 50 points to Gryffindor! Ahhh, what's this Remmie? Inter-house dancing?'

Remus stuck his tongue out oh-so-maturely at Sirius as he came into the Grand Hall with a stunning Tonks on his arm. She was wearing a long blue gown, and her hair was a thick, curly brown. A normal colour, for once.

Sirius put his arm around his second cousin's shoulder. 'Look at that! For once, you don't look like you have cotton candy stuck in your hair! MAKE WAY, EVERYONE! INTER-HOUSE COUPLE COMING THROUGH! Budge up there, sexy lady!'

'_Quite_ enough of your indecent commentary, Black!' snapped McGonagall, waltzing with Dumbledore, who was chuckling amusedly.

Sirius, however, saw this as a golden opportunity. He went up to Dumbledore. 'May I cut in, your Headmasterness?' Dumbledore bowed to McGonagall, and went to dance with Madam Pomfrey. McGonagall rolled her eyes as Sirius swept her away onto the dance floor. The other Marauders and their dates followed suit.

Through a particularly slow number, Tonks rested her head on Remus's shoulder. 'I just want you to know, Remus,' she murmured slowly, her cool breath tickling his neck. 'Wherever you go, whatever you do... I'll always be there to catch you.'

* * *

**A/N: **sigh. I just love Marauder romance fics :) Anyways, hope you enjoyed this. Review. It's your duty as a reader to review the writer's work, especially if you enjoyed this.

Much love and appreciation towards my beautiful readers,  
Charah ;D


End file.
